


Adventure of the Unbounds

by Jidem



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Bad Spelling & Grammar, Dark Fantasy, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, FOUND FAMILY FOUND FAMILY MY LOVE, Found Family, Friendship, How Do I Tag, M/M, Other, Romance, Time Shenanigans, but english is not my first language, canon is fake and so is death, except that death is very much real in this au, generally soft, lot of it, may contain angst, pinning, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 12:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30105618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jidem/pseuds/Jidem
Summary: In which Calliope, an apprentice thief, suddently have to learn magic. Also contain an unlikely alliance between the prince Dirk and the Archpriest Karkat to save Kind Dave's life, the quest of detectives Terezi and Jane to find love and/or runaway criminals, and Vriska, as a spitefull false. Here there be love, friendship, magic, adventures and found family. Here there also be violence, death and time shenanigans. (But less than in the original Homestuck : im not a monster.)
Relationships: Alternate Calliope/Aradia Megido, Calliope/Roxy Lalonde, Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas, Jake English/Dirk Strider, Jane Crocker/Terezi Pyrope, John Egbert/Vriska Serket, Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam, Well I guess - Relationship, it's really more implied that anything else
Kudos: 1





	Adventure of the Unbounds

The night was hot and suffocating.  
The summer heat did not disappear with the sun, and the atmosphere felt like a heavy blanket, trapping the world in silence and exhaustion. The streets outside of Callie’s window were unusually empty: it was too hot to party, too hot to wander the streets, too hot to stay awake.  
And yet, Callie was far from asleep. They were waiting, immobile in their bed, their green eyes wide open staring at the window.  
Outside, a bell rang three decisive bangs, and Callie smiled. Their guest would arrive soon, now.  
And indeed, a couple minutes later, the distinctive sound of someone knocking at their window resonated in their room.  
Callie jumped on their feet, and rushed at the window. They were fully dressed, in dark, unremarkable clothes. The only part of their clothing which would have attracted attention was a small, cat-like pendant attached to a chain around their neck, but it was tucked under their shirt.  
Callie opened the window, and their visitor swiftly entered their room.

\- Yooo Callie! Ready for « Da Heist »?  
\- Roxy! I’ve been waiting for you. Do not worry, i am absolutely ready for « da heist » !  
\- Niiiice! we’re gonna rock this Callie ! It’s gonna be awesome ! After you, if you please

Roxy’s smile was contagious, and Callie giggled as they climbed over the window and grabbed the rope their friend used to climb up here. They were slower than Roxy, but it wasn’t surprising ; after all, their friend was a qualified member of the thief guild, while Callie themselves were still an apprentice. They always wondered why Roxy was so eager to include them in his plans, even the serious ones, and why his team never protested. Callie could be so clumsy sometimes ! Their hands, covered in the scales typical to their species, would never be as agile as Roxy’s, no matter how much they trained. They wouldn’t even have joined the guild, if Roxy hadn’t been so insistent. But he had talked so much about it! He even showed them the guild’s symbol, tattooed on the inside of his wrist with a magic ink, invisible for those who weren’t supposed to see it. 

Subconsciously, Callie rose their hand to the necklace hidden under their shirt, to the guild symbol that they now share with Roxy and all the other guild members. If tonight's heist was successful, they would become a full member of the guild, gaining their own tattoo to match Roxy’s. They smiled at the idea.  
Roxy landed behind them in an unexpected thump, scaring them a little. He pulled back his grappling hook, grabbed Callie’s hand, and they sneaked into the silent streets, two unnoticed shadows rushing towards an illegal goal.  
Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled. Callie shivered, and Roxy instinctively rose his eyes at the moons. Derse was full, while Prospit was nothing but a thin sliver of light. Roxy sighed in relief, and lets his mind wander for an instant, trying to remember what this specific moon position meaned in the carapacian’s overly complexe horoscope system. He gave up fast: as much as he loveed the tiny chess guys, their system is simply too hard to remember.  
Callie would know, though. They were passionate about the little guys' system, (even if not as much as they were with the trolls' society) and they absolutely loved to rant about it. But Roxy had more important things to think about at the moment, and so he contented himself with the knowledge that Prospit is far away from being full.

\- At least Jade won’t have a full pack of wolves with her, he whispered to Callie. The heist is going to be complicated enough without that.  
\- You think she’ll be there?  
\- Of course she will! It simply wouldn’t be fun without it !

He laughed, but it wasn’t funny. The werewolf is a terrible rival, and shouldn’t be underestimated. Her presence would make things way harder. Of course, it is possible that it was just a random, unrelated wolf, who just happened to find itself in the middle of town. After all, nothing is impossible…  
Finally, they reached their destination. The condesce’s summer palace stood in the middle of its own private park, protected at all hours by legions of guards, some of which were even magicians. Thousands of traps waited behind those walls, and the punishment that would fall upon the fools stupid enough to try and rob the trolls' empress would give nightmares to anyone. Entering this house, and leaving it unharmed, was absolutely impossible.  
Well…. Most of the time it was. But today, the security was weakened : the Condesce had left the i palace for a two day trip to the capital, in which she was supposed to meet the King Dave. And, as an escort, some of the guards had gone with her, and the squad supposed to replace them wasn’t here yet.  
So today, and today only, the palace was vulnerable.  
Roxy tightened his grip around Callie’s hand, suddenly flooded by stress. They had planned this heist for weeks, and everything should go well. Their plan was perfect, their team was extremely competent and everything should go well. They had done everything humanly possible to prepare this day. He exhaled slowly, trying to erase the fear. He looked at Callie. They were smiling widely, the moons’ shine reflecting in their eyes. They were looking towards the palace with nothing but excitation, and seeing them so enthusiastic helped Roxy calm down. 

\- Let’s do this !

They advanced towards the wall, neither of them committing the error of looking for their team. Beforehand, they had formed multiple small groups, of two or three, each one charged with a specific mission. If everything was going well, they wouldn’t even realize other people were here. That way, the risk of everyone being captured was lower, and even if one group failed at their task, the heist would still be managable. That had been Callie’s idea, the one that would, if successful, earn them a place in the guild.  
Roxy and Callie had the easiest part, because, after all, Callie was still an apprentice. The traps were already deactivated in the left wing of the palace (the less protected), and so they just had to enter it, and steal everything that was both valuable and collectable. Most of the really interesting stuff would be in the other wing, of course, but the whole point of this operation was to minimize risks, and it had been decided that a more experienced group would take care of it.  
Everything should go well. Even if they failed their part, the rest of the plan shouldn’t be impacted.  
Suddenly, a green arrow hit the ground in front of their feets, and a soft, happy laugh filled the air. Roxy rose his eye to the top of the wall, and, sure enough, here she was, just sitting, the cord of her crossbow still vibrating from the shot, her dog hears two whites triangles detaching themselves from the black sky. The werewolf.

\- Hello, Jade, sighed Roxy. What a surprise. 

Jade laughed again, and jumped swiftly to the ground. Her smile was wide, her fangs visible. But she wasn’t going to attack, at least not just yet. She was having fun.

\- Roxy! Callie! I didn’t see you there! What could you possibly be doing here at this hours of the night? Sorry for shooting at you, by the way, she said, her smile widening even more. I thought you were a wolf. 

This time, Callie and Roxy joined in the laughter. It wasn’t a funny joke, really, but they were stressed, and adrenaline has its way to make things funnier. They needed some comic relief, now more than ever. But a faint cracking noise, coming from the other side of the wall, killed their laughter in a heartbeat, leaving them silent and on the edge. Jade picked up her arrow, and reloaded her crossbow in one masterful gesture. She then turned towards Callie, aware, as were everyone in the guild, that this was their plan, and their rite of passage. 

\- Which way are the two of you headed? 

Callie hesitated, but only for a second. If Jade was contraried, and decided to get in their way, she could derail the whole plan. But she was an extremely talented thief, and her help could be an extremely effective advantage. 

\- We… were going to the left wing.  
\- Perfect, whispered Jade. You won’t refuse some help, will you?  
\- Absolutely not! I would be extremely grateful for your assistance!  
\- Then what are we waiting for? 

Jade pulled her hood, hiding her white dog hears under it, and climbed back up the wall in a couple of seconds. 

\- I swear, murmured Roxy, what a show off. 

And he threw his grappling hook at the wall, grabbing the top on the first try. He climbed, promptly followed by Callie, and soon enough, all three of them had entered the Condesce’s domain.  
They sneaked silently through the park, hiding in the gigantic shadow the palace casted upon them. Roxy led the way, promptly guiding them towards a discrete service door, their entry into the left wing. They didn’t see anyone, and Callie sighed with relief. No guards, no troubles, the other teams had done their work. It was probably less exciting this way, but it was better, safer. One team to neutralize the guards, one team to open the doors and disengage as many traps as humanly possible, one team to do the stealing itself, and, of course, one team to look out for dangers, and alarm others if things went wrong. Everyone has a clear schedule, a clear plan of action, and competent teammates, and that way, no one would have to stay on the domain for more than twenty minutes, minimizing the risks of capture. 

Well, before Jade’s intervention, that was. Callie would never have admitted it, but they were more perturbed by the werewolf's presence than they let out. Not that they doubted Jade’s skills, of course not! But the duo they formed with Roxy was already the plan's weak link, and, well… if Jade had actually asked to be a part of the heist, and been included in the plan, she wouldn’t had been in the stealing team. Her skillset was way more suitable for direct action, and Callie would have placed her in the first team, the one charged with disarming the guards.  
Well, it was too late now, wasn’t it? The game was played, and they had no choice but to do the best of it.  
The door they had chosen for their entry was unremarkable, alike to thousands of others in the palace, a simple wood piece with a sturdy lock. Jade and Roxy had stopped on each side of the door, waiting for Callie to open it. It was their plan, after all, their big day. They exhaled sharply, and reached towards the doorknob, their hand shaking ever so slightly. 

It was unlocked. They opened it.  
This time, Jade took the lead, entering the dark corridor first, her crossbow raised. No one was in sight, but she didn’t allow herself to relax until she saw the white symbol, traced with chalk by the team who preceded them, that assured the way was safe.  
The door closed slowly behind her, and suddenly, the corridor was pitch black. She growled softly, annoyed. Her dark vision wasn’t that good when Prospit wasn’t full. She stepped back, letting Callie, who could see in the dark like in broad daylight, proceed to a first inspection of the place while she waited for Roxy to lit up some torches. 

Callie progressed slowly in the corridor, their heart thumping so loudly in their chest that they were certain that someone else would hear them too. They could hear Jade and Roxy arguing behind them, fighting silently for the lamp. They smiled, and walked faster, looking for the chalk symbols that would indicate which rooms had been untrapped, and which had not. At this floor, it seemed like all the rooms were safe, which was a relief. They reached the stairs that ascended to the second floor, and searched the first steps until they found the sign indicating that the path was clear. Behind them, it seemed like Jade and Roxy had finally reached an arrangement, for they no longer heard voices, but footsteps, followed, a couple seconds later, by Roxy’s light touch on their shoulders. They turned back, and took the bag Roxy handed them. It was enchanted, and could (normally) transport way more objects that its relatively small side indicated. Roxy had one too, and so did Jade. Those bags were provided by the guild, the fructs of an arrangement passed on the black market. They were useful, but Callie always felt uneasy using them. Magic, and by extent, magical objects, did not have a good reputation. They would use them nevertheless, of course. Work was work. 

\- This floor is clear, whispered Callie. We should split up, to cover more terrain.

Roxy didn’t answer, simply nodding his head to mark his understandment. He turned back, and entered the first room, the light of his lantern disappearing behind the door.  
The first floor was quickly cleared up, and the trio moved up the stairs, their bags full of stolen jewelry, artefacts, clothes, and, in Jade’s case, of an ancient golden clock. It was only small things, the really juicy loot was in the other wing, but Callie still was extremely satisfied : their plan had worked, and even if the first floor alone wasn't worth that much money, there were still two more to go. 

The second floor was richer, but also more dangerous. None of the members of the trio were foolish enough to adventure themselves into a room that hadn’t been untraped, but, even in the rooms signaled as «safe», the interesting objects were hidden with more efficacity, some of them even protected by small traps that had escaped to the previous team. Still, they had no trouble filling up their bags.  
They had been in the palace for a little less than 15 minutes now, but those had been some of the most intense of Callie’s life. They were exhausted, and the thought that the third floor was still waiting for them felt like a mountain on their shoulders. Roxy and Jade didn’t seem as tired, and Callie didn’t know whether it was because they were more used to the stress, or had better control over their movements. The result was still the same either way : Callie could barely keep their eyes open, while Roxy and Jade were still bickering over who could do the most rooms in the least time. 

They finally climbed to the third floor, Callie walking behind their two friends. Their bag felt heavy, despite the enchantment supposed to lessen the weight. Callie realized they were dozing out, and the adrenaline rush originated by the thought of what would happen to them if they falled asleep in the Condesce’s castle was just enough for them to catch up with Roxy and Jade. They grabbed Roxy’s arm, subconsciously thrusting him to have their back. Roxy threw them a surprised glance, but, upon meeting Callie’s glazed eyes, immediately understood what was going on. He took their bag out of their hands without saying a word, and simply informed Jade that he would go with Callie, for this floor. Callie glanced at Jade with guilt in their eyes, expecting a snarky comment, but the werewolf did not say anything. She simply nodded, and gently patted Callie on the head before going toward the room she chose to explore. She had been an apprentice too. She remembered how exhausting her first big heist had been.  
The third floor only had a couple of rooms that were safe to explore. Callie followed Roxy through them, admiring in silence the quickness and precision of the rogue’s movements. With the help of Callie’s superior night vision, the two of them blasted through the rooms, ending up in front of the last one at the exact same time as Jade. Roxy smiled, and designated the door to the werewolf. 

\- After you, he whispered. 

Jade nodded, and stepped forward, angrily tucking her tail into her pants. She would always remember the very first time she and Roxy had «worked» together on an heist. This pinkish asshole had violently slammed a door onto her tail, and, even though he had acted like it had been an accident, Jade had never truly believed him. That was a long time ago, though; since Callie’s arrival in the guild, the rivalry she had with Roxy had become way less violent. And, even if she would never have admitted it, she liked it way better now. Callie was just a pleasure to have around, and even Roxy was mostly okay, when he wasn’t doing some asshole thing with doors.  
Jade opened the door, and all three of them stepped inside.  
The door slammed behind them, and they immediately understood their mistake. 

\- THE DOOR WAS MARKED SAFE, screamed Roxy. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME, THE DOOR WAS MARKED SAFE! 

He rushed toward the door, but it was too late : it had already disappeared, absorbed onto the wall without leaving any marks. For a second, Roxy couldn’t believe his eyes, but the fact was: where the door had been now were only naked stones.  
Roxy's heartbeat skyrocketed. The room was supposed to be safe, he had checked for the symbol! How could that be? How could things have turned so wrong in so little time? He turned back, meeting Callie wide, terrified green eyes, and Jade’s determined gaze. Thanks to God, the werewolf did not seem accusatory. Scared, yes, and angry, but not at him. Good, because their survival chances were already small enough without adding any conflict to the balance. 

\- We have to get out of here, said Jade, her voice shaking despite her efforts to stay calm. We have to get out, now! 

But it was already way, way too late for that. And, as the room began to fill with cold, black water, they all realized it.  
The water was raising way too quickly. It has only been a couple of seconds, and yet, the wild flows of water were almost too powerful to resist. Callie had already fallen twice, submerged entirely by the freezing flows. The first time, Roxy had helped them up, but, the second time, no hands had reached for them. Both of their lamps had been drowned straight in a matter of seconds, and, in the dark, the room seemed way bigger than it actually were. Callie could still touch the ground, but only barely; they had water up to their neck, and they struggled to breath in between the waves. They were inside a room! How could the water be so violent?  
They couldn’t see Roxy nor Jade. Their dark vision was useless here, with water getting in their eyes, blocking their view. No matter how far they reached, water was everywhere. 

They needed a way out. 

Any way. 

They reached, desperately, for an issue, any issue.

There was nothing! Nothing but water! They were going to die here! 

Suddenly, from very, very far away, Callie heard a voice calling for them. They couldn’t understand what it said. But something, something deep, deep down inside them, answered the call. This thing had been present forever, unnoticed, asleep. And today, today, it woke up.  
Callie grabbed Roxy and Jade, reaching them without any difficulty even though one second prior they could not find them. And suddenly, they were out.  
All three of them gasped for air. They were outside! Not only outside this damned water room, but outside the whole palace! The moons shined upon them. The park, the palace, were hidden behind their wall. One of the member of the observation team was assaulting them with questions, asking what happened, why are you covered in water, how the fuck did you just teleport out here. But Roxy attention was entirely focused on Callie. They were sitting on the ground, looking dazed, strange glitter of white energy still sparkling around their eyes. One of their hands was grabbing Roxy’s wrist, the other was sitting on Jade’s unconscious body. The werewolf had a nasty looking wound at the head. They ought to take care of that, soon. But for now, Roxy could think of only one thing. 

\- Holy shit Callie, you’re a wizard!

**Author's Note:**

> hey, this is my very first fanfic ! thanks for reading it, you can follow me on tumblr if you want (@jidem) but i mostly post shitpost


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